Help Wikitravel grow by contributing to an article. Learn how.

The largest Jain temple of India is Adinath Jain Temple located in Ranakpur, near
Udaipur, Rajasthan. Built in the 15th century, it is also one of the most beautiful Jain
temples. The most remarkable aspect of this temple is the wonderful play of shadow
and light on nearly 1,500 pillars. The beauty of the pillars is that each pillar is
different from the other in design. The color of the pillars change from gold to pale
blue as the sun shifts through the day.

Shri Shatrunjay Tirth is located in Palitana, approximately 280 kilometers from

Ahmedabad in Gujarat. This tirth (pilgrimage) is known as the eternal tirth. It has a
nearly 216 centimeters high, white-colored and brightly shining idol of Bhagwan
Adishvar with a serene and peaceful face and is in the Padmasana (a yoga posture).
The Temple has been renovated 16 times. The Temple is a climb of 3950 steps up
the Shetrunjaya Hill. Beware, it is no mean feat. Climbing a 3.5 kilometer shadeless
stretch in the heat needs some strength; you can neither eat food nor carry it on the
way. The descent must begin before evening. There are hundreds of temples on the
hill. Some of the temples were built around the 11th century. It must have taken
some effort by the non-violent Jain community to perform the mammoth task of
clearing the crest of the hill and levelling and fortifying most of the temples, and it
took a long time. Till today it is a puzzle as to how the large marble stones were
carried to the top when there were no modern machines available. The summit is one
of the most revered. Such is the sanctity that climbing the top of the mountain at
least once in his lifetime is every Jain's dream.

Dilwara temple is located in Mount Abut, Rajasthan. The world famous marble temples
are a group of 5 temples. They have an unbelievable design and accuracy of
workmanship. Vimal Vasahi (Shri Adinathji temple), Luna Vasahi (Shri Neminathji
temple), Pithalhar (Shri Rishabh Deoji temple), Khartar Vasahi (Shri Parshavnathji
temple) and Mahavir Swami (Shri Mahavir Swamiji temple). The shrines were
constructed in various centuries. Shri Adinathji and Shri Neminathji temple are built
wholly from white marble. Life stories of various Jain Thirthankaras and scenes
from Jain and Hindu mythology are depicted in the design of the temples and no
design is repeated - a proof of the brilliance of the architects.
Pawapuri Tirth is situated 90 kilometers from Patna in Bihar. It is believed that it is the
ultimate and all sin ends here for a devout Jain. Lord Mahavir, the last of the
Tirthankars and founder of Jainism, breathed his last at this place and was cremated
here around 500 B.C.

Jain temples in Jamnagar are located in the state of Gujarat. Vardhaman Shah's temple,
Raisi Shah's Temple, Sheth's Temple and Vasupujya Swami's Temple are the various
Jain temples in Jamnagar. Besides these, there are sixteen other temples.

Shri Mahudi Tirth is located in Mehsana district of Gujarat. It has a 53 centimeters high,
white-colored idol of Bhagwan Padmaprabh in the Padmasana (a yoga posture). It is
believed that this place is 2000 years old. An ancient idol of Ghantakarna Mahavir
was installed in the temple here by the Acharyadev Buddhisagarsurisvarji. The idol
of Ghantakarna Mahvir is very miraculous. In his previous birth, Ghantakarna
Mahavirdev was a Kshatriya king named Tungabhadra. He protected religious
people, caste and virtuous women and unmarried girls from robbers. He used a bow
and arrows. His idol, therefore, has a bow and an arrow.

Shri Samet Shikhar Tirth is located in Giridih district of Bihar. It has a 92 centimeters
high, black-colored idol of Bhagwan Parshvanath (Bhagwan Shamaliya
Parshvanath) in the Padmasana posture. It is at 4450 feet above see level. It was
known also as Samet Shail, Sametachal and many others. Many Thirthankaras
attained salvation here. Since this is a land of penance and salvation of many
Thirthankaras, each and every particle of this land is holy. Even the mere touch
purifies the human birth and a pilgrimage removes all paap (sin) and grants punya
(religious merit).

Rikhabdev Jain Temple is situated 40 kilometers from Udaipur in Rajasthan. It is

dedicated to Lord Rikhabdev (aka Kesariyaji), the first Jain Tirthankara. It belongs
to the Svetambara sect of the Jainism. A large procession of the Lord proceeds to the
temple of Pagliyaji (2 kilometers away) in the month of March/April on the birthday
of Lord Rikhabdev. It is also called Kalaji (black) by the tribal people due to the
black color of the idol. It is believed that Ravana had carried this idol to Ceylon
(presently Sri Lanka) but Lord Rama brought it back after his conquest. Such is the
 influence of the idol that pilgrims, whose wishes have been granted, smear the idol
with kesar (saffron) often equal to the weight of the child born.

Shri Mahavirji Jain Temple is 110 kilometers from Sawai Madhopur in Rajasthan. It is
one of the holiest Jain temples in Rajasthan, situated on the banks of the river
Gambhir, built in honor of Lord Mahavir - the 24th Jain saint. This temple is a
combination of ancient and modern Jain architecture unlike other ancient Jain
temples, which are highly ornamented and richly carved. It is constructed with white
sandstone and the spires are visible from all around. Like most Jain temples, this one
too is a complex of smaller temples. The biggest draw is the huge statue of
Shantinath, which stands 32 feet high. The well-illuminated temple is a splendid
sight to view at night. Nakoda Jain Temple is 135 km from Barmer in Rajasthan.
The town of Nakoda was built in the 12th or the 13th century on the slope of a hill
called Nagar Ki Bhakarian. The biggest and most impressive of the Jain Temples in
the town is the Parshvanath Temple. The town of Nakoda has the only other temple
of Lord Brahma, the creator of the universe according to the Hindu mythology,
besides the one at Pushkar, also in Rajasthan.

Deogarh Jain Temple is 123 km from Jhansi in Deogarh, Madhya Pradesh. Dashavatar
Temple is a fine Lord Vishnu temple at Deogarh. It has a terraced basement above
the high temple plinth and is adorned with a continuous row of sculptured panels.

Shri Rishbhanchal Tirth is at Vardhmanpuram in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh. It has a 4.5

foot high, white-colored idol of Bhagwan Rishbhnathji in Padmasana posture. It is a
large temple and is popular as a center of meditation, yoga and worship. The
foundation stone of this temple was laid down by The President of India in 1991.
The name of Rishbhanchal is related to Lord Rishabhdevji, the first Tirthankar of
Jainism.

Shitalnath Jain Temple is in Calcutta, West Bengal. It was built in 1867. It is dedicated
to Sri Shitalnath, whose name literally means the "lord and protector of aquatics".

Bihar
From Wikitravel

Plains : Bihar
Jump to: navigation, search

Contents

• Regions
• Cities
• Other destinations
• [+] Understand
o History
• Talk
• [+] Get in
o By plane
o By train
o By Road
• Get around
• See
• Do
• Eat
• Drink
• Stay safe
• Get out

The Mahabodhi Temple, Bodh Gaya

Madhubani Paintings, Bihar

Buddha's Statue at the Mahabodhi temple, Bodh Gaya

Ruins of Nalanda University, Nalanda

A typical landscape in rural Bihar

Trolly ride in Rajgri

Shanti Stup, Rajgri

View of Gai Ghat, from Gandhi Setu bridge, in Patna

Collectorate ghat on the bank of Ganga in Patna

A typical village bazaar in Bihar

Bihar is a state in eastern India. It lies on the Gangetic plain, with Uttar Pradesh to its west, West Bengal arching to
its south and east, and with Nepal to its north. The Bihar plain is divided into two unequal halves by the river Ganga
which flows through the middle from west to east.

[edit] Regions
Bihar can be grouped into four regions based on river boundaries. These four regions have very similar languages -
Angika, Bhojpuri, Magadhi and Maithili spoken in respective regions. The languages are collectively known as
'Bihari' and are decedents of the ancient language of Magadhi Prakrit, the language spoken by the Buddha and the
language of the ancient kingdom of Magadha.

• Anga
• Bhojpur
• Magadha
• Mithila

[edit] Cities
• Patna — the state capital
• Sasaram
• Bhagalpur — largest city in Anga
• Bihar (also known as Bihar-sharif)
• Darbhanga — capital of Mithila (cultural capital of Bihar)
 • Gaya
• Kaimur — largest city in Bhojpur
• Muzaffarpur
• Purnia
• Rajgir
• Munger — Capital city of Anga

[edit] Other destinations

• Bodh Gaya — site of the Buddha Sakyamuni's enlightenment
• Nalanda — site of the ruins of an ancient Buddhist university and the Nalanda Multimedia Museum
• Valmiki Nagar — national tiger reserve
• Sasaram — Tomb of Sher Shah Suri

[edit] Understand
Bihar lags behind the other Indian states in social and economic development, and is one of the poorest Indian states.
The state doesn't have good infrastructure facilities and so tourists may find their stay and travel very inconvenient.
Nevertheless the state have many places to explore like Bodh Gaya (considered to be the birth place of Buddhism)
and Nalanda (the site of one of the oldest universities of the world). The reason for the economical backwardness of
the state is blamed on the state leadership, the central government's policies like the 'freight equalization policy' and
its apathy towards Bihar, a lack of Bihari state pride (resulting in no spokesperson for the state) and the policy of
Permanent Settlement by the British East India Company, which has left a feudalistic culture still dragging the state
back.

Bihar has a youthful and mainly rural population of 85% and the society is mainly agrarian. Northern Bihar is prone
to perennial flooding. The state has seen mass migration out of the state in last few decades and these ethnic Biharis
living in other states of India are victims of racist hate crimes and prejudice. There was even Naxal insurgence in last
few decades, especially in Southern Bihar, but the situation has calmed down in recent years. The state has earned a
very poor image outside Bihar due to a poor law and order situation and involvement of crime in politics, which are
generally exaggerated. Jharkhand, the mineral-rich tribal belt, used to be part of the state, but in 2001, it was split to
form its own state.

[edit] History

Bihar has a glorious past. Bihar was known as Magadha in ancient times. It was a center of power, learning and
culture. The Maurya empire as well as one of the world's greatest pacifist religions, Buddhism, arose from Magadha.
Bihari empires, like the Maurya and the Gupta, unified large parts of South Asia under a central rule. Pataliputra
(modern Patna), the capital of Magadha, was an important center of Indian civilization. Many important non-
religious books like Arthashashtra and Kamasutra were composed here 2000 years back. Vaisali, one of the first
known republic, existed here since before the birth of Mahavira (c. 599 BC).

The state suffered immensely due to Hunnic and later Muslim invasions, and the old traditions of culture and learning
was almost lost by the end of 12th century. The Muhammad Bin Bakhtiar Khilji in 12th century C.E. destroyed many
of the viharas (Buddhist sanghas) and the famed universities of Nalanda and Vikramshila. Thousands of Buddhist
monks were massacred. Bihar lost its importance in the medieval period though it rose to prominence for a brief
period during the rule of Sher Shah Suri in the 15th century. Foreign invaders often used abandoned viharas as
military cantonments. The word Bihar have come from the large number of viharas thus employed in the area.
Originally Bihar was name of a town, which was headquarter of the Muslim invaders in Magadha, in the medieval
period. The headquarter was later on shifted, from Bihar to Patana (current Patna), by Sher Shah Suri and the
establishments in those time started calling Magadha by the name Bihar. The town of Bihar still exists is also known
as Bihar-Sharif, which is located in Nalanda District, near the famous ruins of the Nalanda University.
The culture and lifestyle of the Biharis haven't changed much over the centuries. Resurgence in the history of Bihar
came during the Indian independence struggle against the British rule.

[edit] Talk
[edit] Get in
[edit] By plane

• Bodh Gaya fields international flights to Bangkok (Thailand) and Paro (Bhutan), catering largely to Buddhist
pilgrims. Patna is connected to major Indian cities.

• Patna-Gaya-Ranchi air taxi service [1].

[edit] By train

Bihar is connected by train to all major cities of India. Some good trains to reach the capital Patna are:

• From Delhi - Patna Rajdhani Express(2309/2310), Sampurna Kranti Exp. (overnight journey)
• From Kolkata - Jan Shatabdi Exp. ( 8-9 hrs.)
• From Mumbai - Rajendra Nagar Lokmanya Tilak T. Exp.
• From Varanasi - Vibhuti Exp. (6 hrs.).

[edit] By Road

Major National Highways which connect Bihar with other cornor of country are as follows NH 2, 19, 28, 30, 31.

Patna is well conncet by road with all the corner of country, Deluxe bus services are available for following location
Ranchi, Jamshedpur, Kolkata, Siliguri & Nepal border.

[edit] Get around

[edit][add listing] See
Bodhgaya Near the holy city of Gaya, the Buddha attained enlightenment. The tree that had sheltered him came to be
known as the Bodhi tree and the place Bodhgaya. Today Bodhgaya, an important place of pilgrimage, has a number
of monasteries, some of them established by Buddhists of Japan, Thailand, Myanmar, Sri Lanka etc.

Patna once called Patliputra the capital of Bihar, is among the world's oldest capital cities with unbroken history of
many centuries as imperial metropolis of the Mauryas and Guptas imperial dynasties.

Nalanda A great centre of Buddhist learning, Nalanda came into prominence around the 5th century BC and was a
flourishing university town with over ten thousand scholars and an extensive library.

Rajgir Rajgir,103 kms from Patna, was the ancient capital of Magadha Empire. Lord Buddha often visited the
monastery here to meditate and to preach. Rajgir is also a place sacred to the Jains, Since Lord Mahavira spent many
years here.

Vaishali Vaishali was one of the earliest republics in the world (6th century BC).It was here that Buddha preached
his last sermon. Vaishali, birthplace of Lord Mahavira is also Sacred to Jains.
Kesaria This Stupa is in fact one of the many memorable stupa remarkable event in the life of Buddha. Kesaria has a
lofty brick mound capped by a solid brick tower of considerable size, which it self is the remain of a Buddhist Stupa.
The mound is a ruin with a diameter of 68 feet at its base and a total height of 5½ ft. originally it was crowned by a
pinnacle which must have stood 80 or 90 ft above the ground. General Cunningham dated this monument to AD 200
to 700, and held that it was built upon the ruins of a much older and larger Stupa. It is the highest Stupa found in the
country with a height of about 104” from the base.

Pawapuri In Pawapuri, or Apapuri, 38 kilometres from Rajgir and 90 kilometres from Patna, all sins end for a
devout Jain. Lord Mahavira, the final tirthankar and founder of Jainism, breathed his last at this place.

Tar (Bhojpur) Situated about 10 kms North West of Piro the village derives its name from Tarka, a she demon
killed by lord Rama. There is an old tank in the village that is said to be the wrestling ground of Tarka.

Ahirauli (Buxur) Situated about 5 kms north-east of Buxur, this village has a temple of Devi Ahilya. According to
the local tradition it dates back to the pre historic ages. Legend is that, Ahilya was transformed into stone as a result
of curse of her husband, Rishi Gautam and she could be redeemed only when lord Ram Chandra visited her place.

Ram Rekha Ghat (Buxur) According to the legends, lord Ram Chandra and his younger brother Lakshman with
their teacher Rishi Vishwamitra had crossed the Ganga here on their way to Janakpur where he later took part in the
Sita swayambar (the public ceremony of Sita's Marriage).

Sita Kund (Munger) A village about 6 Kms East of the Munger town contains a hot spring known as the Sita Kund
spring, which is so called after the well known episode of Ramayan. Ram, after rescuing his wife Sita from the
demon king Ravan, suspected that she could not have maintained her honour intact, and Sita, to prove her chastity,
agreed to enter a blazing fire. She came out of the fiery or deal unscathed, and imparted to the pool in which she
bathed, the heat she had absorbed from the fire. The hot spring is now enclosed in a masonry reservoir and is visited
by large number of pilgrims, specially at the full moon of Magh.

Janki Temple (Sitamarhi) This temple is traditionally considered to be the birth place of Sita or Janki, the daughter
of king Janak. This temple, however seems to have been built about 100 years ago.

Valmiki Nagar (West Champaran) This is a village on the Indo Nepal border 42 kms North-West of Bagaha to
which it is connected by a metalled road. A barrage has been constructed here on the Gandak river for the purpose of
irrigation. Besides an old Shiva temple constructed by the Bettiah Raj, there are also ancient temple of Nara Devi and
Gauri Shankar at Valmiki Nagar. There is a Valmiki Ashram, which is said to be the place where Maharshi Valmiki
was living. On the occasion of Makar Sankranti every year a fair is held on the bank of River Gandak.

Maner Sharif (Patna, Maner) It is a large village of historical antiquities, situated in the extreme north west of
Danapur Sub-division, about 32 kms west of Patna on Patna-Arrah Highway. In the early ages Maner was a centre of
learning and it is said that grammarian Panini, and also Bararuchi, lived and studied here. Maner contains two well-
known Mohammedan tombs, that of Shah Daulat or Makhdum Daulat, known as Chhoti Dargah, and the other that of
Sheikh Yahia Maneri or Makhdum Yahia, called the Bari Dargah. Makhdum Daulat died at Maner in 1608, and
Ibrahim Khan, Governor of Bihar and one of the saint's disciples completed the erection of his mausoleum in 1616.
The building is exceptionally fine one, with walls containing carvings of great delicacy and high finish. A great dome
crowns it, and the ceiling is covered with carved inscriptions from the Quran. Every detail of it is characteristic of the
architecture of Jehangir's region, and it is by far the finest monument of the Mughals in Eastern India. Inside the
compound there is a mosque also built by Ibrahim Khan in 1619, whiles a fine gateway bearing an older inscription
corresponding to 1603-01, and affords access to the north. The tomb of Yahia Maneri lies in a mosque walls and
ghats, and pillared porticos jutting out into it, which is connected with the old bed of the River Sone by a tunnel 400-
ft long.

Bari Dargah (Bihar Sharif, Nalanda) This is headquarters of Nalanda district that lays 30 kms South of
Bakhtiarpur on NH-31. This is also a railhead on the Bakhtiarpur Rajgir branch line of the Eastern Indian Railway.
This town is known as Bihar Sharif, owing to its many Muslim tombs that still retain traces of its former importance
as a Muslim pilgrimage. There is a hill called Pir Pahari, about 1 m to the northwest of the town. At its summit is the
dargah or mausoleum of the Saint Mallik Ibrahim Bayu, round which are tem smaller tombs. It is a brick structure
surmounted by a dome and bears inscriptions showing that the saint died in 1353. Another great dargah is that of
Mokhdum Shah Sharif ud-din, also called Makhdum-ul-Mulk, died here in 1379; the inscription over the entrance
shows that his tomb was built in 1569. This tomb, which stands on the south bank of the river, is held in great
veneration by the local Mohammedans, who assemble here on the 5th day of Sawan to celebrate the anniversary of
his death. The Chhoti Dargah is the shrine of Badruddin Badr-I-Alam, famous saint who died here in 1440.

Motihari (East Champaran) Motihari was to the first laboratory of Gandhian experiment in Satyagraha and
probably it will not be very incorrect to say that is has been the spring board for India’s independence. Champaran
district generated a wave of enthusiasm and inspiration to the people who were thirsting for a selfless and saintly
leader. The technique followed by Gandhiji in Champaran was what attained later on the name of Satyagraha.

Sadaquat Ashram (Patna) It is situated in Digha area on Patna Danapur Road and in pre independence days guided
the freedom movement in Bihar. It is Associated with the memories of Mahatma Gandhi, Dr. Rajendra Prasad,
Mautana Mazharal Haque and other leaders.

Kakolat (Nawada) It is a waterfall in Gobindpur police-station, about 21 miles away from Nawada. After going 9¼
miles from Nawada on Ranchi Road, a pucca road known as Gobindpur—Akbarpore Road diverts from there. Just
below the fall there is a deep reservoir natural in character. The fall is about 150 to 160 feet, from the ground level.
The scene is panoramic due to all-round green forest area, which is very pleasant to the eyes. A legend is prevalent
that in Treta Yuga a king named was cursed by a rishi and had to take the shape of a python and lived here. The place
was visited by the great Pandavas during their exile and the accursed king got salvation from the damnation. The
king after getting rid of the curse proclaimed that one who would bathe in the waterfall will not take the yoni of
snake and that is why a large number of people from far and near bathe in the river. A big fair is held on the occasion
of bishua or Chait Shankranti.

Bhimbandh (Munger) It is situated at a distance of 56 km from Munger, 20 km from Jamui Railway Station and
200 km from Patna Airport. Bhimbandh Wild Life Sanctuary is located in the south west of Munger District. The
forests cover an area or 681.99 sq.km on the hills and undulating tract of Kharagpur Hills.

[edit][add listing] Do
• Sonepur Fair

• Rajgir Mahotsav in the month of October every year at Rajgir

• Badi dargah Chiragha in the month of Shawwal as pe islamic Calender every year at Bihar Sharif

• Vaishali Mahotsav in the month of April every year at Vaishali

• Budha Mahotsav in the month of December every year at Bodhgaya

• Patna Film Festival

• Chhath - Chhath (also called Dala Chhath ) is a Hindu festival, unique to Bihar, Jharkhand state, India and
Terai, Nepal. This festival is also celebrated in the northeast region of India, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh,
and some parts of Chhattisgarh.It is an ancient and major festival. Songs for Chhath festival sung by Padma
Shri Bihar Kokila Prof. (Smt) Sharda Sinha are very popular.
 • Durga Puja

• Ganges Cruise from Calcutta to Varanasi via Bihar [2]

• River cruise around Patna operated by the Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation; Cruise starts twice
every day from Gaighat

• Charterer flights - Approx. $350 per hour (three seats) [3] for tourism and getting around.

[edit][add listing] Eat

• Dal bhat chhokha
• Litti-Chokha
• Thekua. its a snack which is made during the festivals edit

[edit][add listing] Drink

• Sattu A baked and powdered gram mixed with water, salt,cumin, chili and lemon juice. It is generally
consumed in morning as it is considered as healthy food.
• Aam Jhora Green mango drink, prepared by boiling or baking green mango and mixing it with water, salt,
chili, cumin and clove leaves. It is generally served during summer season for its medicinal value for fighting
against heat waves.
• Bael ka Sarvat Prepared from Bael(Aegle marmelos)added with sugar/salt for taste. Bael is known for its
medicinal value especially it is good for abdomen.
• Taari Natural drink collected from tree of Taar, very common tree in Bihar. Tarri is collected overnight and
served in early morning, very fast fermentation process during day time makes the drink alcoholic if kept in
normal temperature for more than 2-3 hours.
• Lassi A sweet/ salty drink made of yogurt, sugar, dry fruits and lots of cream. It is also a preferred summer
drink.
• Thandhai A sweet drink made of yogurt, spices, dry fruits etc. It is generally served during festival,
especially on Holi.
• Bhang the leaf and flower of the Cannabis sativa plant, is consumed as a beverage is in many forms, the
simplest of which is made by pounding bhang leaves with a little black pepper, sugar and mixing with water.
Cannabis is widely produced in Bihar and sold legally at licensed Bhang shops
• pattal ka mittai,chura-dahi

[edit] Stay safe

Bihar has a terrible reputation for crime and banditry (or dacoity, to use the Indian word), with armed bandits
recently taking to robbing moving trains, and there were 55 cases of hijackings for ransom (and 2,480 for other
reasons!) reported in 2008. The situation is steadily improving though, with crime statistics for the most serious
offences dropping the last 3 years in a row and, in absolute numbers, crime against foreigners remains comparably
low compared to states popular with international tourists. So while reality may not be quite as grim as the horror
stories you'll hear from non-Biharis, it's still advisable to keep a low profile and to avoid overnight travel on the
roads. A low-level Naxalite (Maoist Communist)insurgency continues to bubble in the southern parts of the state, but
the tourist is unlikely to venture into the affected regions.

Public transportation systems, like trains and buses, are generally over crowded. Trains in India are generally prone
to theft, so it's wise to lock your luggage to the seat in the carriage and keep more aware than usual.

[edit] Get out

 This article is an outline and needs more content. It has a template,
but there is not enough information present. Please plunge forward
and help it grow!
Retrieved from "http://wikitravel.org/en/Bihar"

Category: Outline articles

Views

• Article
• Discussion
• Edit
• History

Personal tools

• My page
• My talk
• Preferences
• My watchlist
• My contributions
• Log in / create account

Navigation

• Main Page
• Project Home
• Travellers' Pub
• Recent changes
• Random page
• Help
• Uploads & bug reports
• Wikitravel Extra

feeds

• Travel news and trivia

Search

Go Search

Toolbox

• What links here

• Related changes
• Don't upload file
• Special pages
• Printable version
• Permanent link
In other languages

• it: Bihar

• This page was last edited at 20:05, on 11 April 2011 by Anonymous user(s) of
Wikitravel. Based on work by saurabh kumar, Amarendra Kishore, Claus Hansen,
Piyush Kumar, Stefan Ertmann, Jani Patokallio, P.K.Niyogi and cz, Wikitravel
user(s) Cacahuate and WindHorse, Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel and others.
• Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are
available under various licenses, see each image for details.
• Privacy policy
• About Wikitravel
• Terms of use
• Home About Us Festivals Information Center Hotels History
Photo Gallery Contact Us
•
•
• HINDUISM AND BIHAR
•
• Shaivism Shaktism Vaishnavism
•
• The Hinduism of the masses is chiefly characterized by polytheism, of which the
most outwards and visible sign is anthropomorphic image-worship. Each cult and
sect has its on special gods or goddesses, but all combine to revere other deities of
the Hindu pantheon and join in their worship. The terrors of pox have led to the
apotheosisation of the spirit of this pestilence and have made people give it a
place in the village shrines. At the same time, there is a vague notion, even among
the polytheists, of a supreme deity, who reigns and is eternal and omnipresent.
•
• The working religion of the peoples' everyday life consists of the propitiation of
his Ishta Devata or chosen deity and malevolent gods, ghosts and spirits, in order
that they may not afflict their worshippers or may grant them material blessings.
•
• The primitive propitiation of evil spirits and Divine power and the worship of the
Hindu gods go on side by side and quite often some men make offerings to both.
•
• Worship in the temples is not congregational but individual. It is also vicarious,
for the sole celebrant sometimes is the Brahmin priest. He recites the mantras and
makes the offerings; the worshipper stands apart. In family life, as apart from
temple worship, the most important functionary is the guru, the spiritual preceptor
who advises his disciples on sacred matters and receives deep veneration.
•
• Like many educated townsmen, they believe in karma, image worship, rebirth and
fatalism, for life is fairly hard for most of them and they know very well that they
cannot expect any dramatic improvement in their lot. Still Hinduism offers them
the hope of salvation, the hope that by their own efforts they can obtain for
themselves deliverance from suffering - not in this world or in this life, but in the
future.
•
• Though it is difficult to make generalizations that are true about the religious
beliefs of all or even many Biharis (natives of Bihar), especially nowadays,
popular Hinduism is not so much a sect as a central cluster, a group of beliefs and
practices which have been regarded India as orthodox and which go hand in hand
with law, caste science and other features in Indian life. And every sensible Bihari
knows this. He knows too that Hinduism has for him no clear-cut definite creed; it
knows no Ten Commandments. He, however, believes in a divine impersonality
and a final absorption, which have no concern with morals.
•
• The monotheist looks up to him as the means of saving him from the cycle of
rebirth. The polytheist regards the gods not as directors of morals, but chiefly as
dispensers of material good and evil in this temporal world.
•
• Hinduism in Bihar is a religion of caste rules and usages; its sanctions are
ultimately social; its laws immemorial group customs; and its tribunal the
committee of the fraternity. Thus although it enshrines for the student and thinker
a profound and impressive philosophy, it presents itself to the ordinary man, not
as a statement of the eternal principles of morality, but as a formidable code of
etiquette ruling the details of his personal life. He finds himself greatly concerned
that he should not marry a woman not belonging to his caste or dine with a man
not of his own community, hardly at all concerned that he should not help the
wrong man or entertain vague caste prejudices against the right one. In matters of
faith, it is today a go-as-you-please religion in which a man can believe much
what he likes, provided he conforms to established usage. Acceptance of caste
authority of the fraternity and of the well-established rites and rituals make up the
orthodox Bihari Hindu today.
•
• Not surprisingly, Bihar is known for its factionalism. Intelligent Biharis, in their
more introspective moments, bemoan the fact that while other think of themselves
as Bengalis or Punjabis, Parsis or Muslims, in Bihar their compatriots think of
themselves only as Bhumihars, Rajputs, Kayasthas or Maithil Brahmins, etc.

• Shaktism
•
• Many Hindu cults of very ancient provenance in Bihar have been devoted to the
worship of Shakti (Goddess of Energy). These cults, collectively called the Shakti
cult, conceive of the paramount deity as female, and render devotion to all that
appertains to the female sex. The worshippers of Shakti, who are most numerous
in Mithila, regard the Tantras as their scriptures and address the goddess as
Durga. A few of the Maithil Brahmins are, however, Shaivites, who believe in the
unity and immanence of God, and have a deep consciousness of personal sin. In
olden times, offering sacrifices at Shakti temples was regarded as essential and all
persons here offered sacrifices to the deity when in distress. The Kali Asthans,
and the places dedicated to Chandi, Bishhari and Shitala or Mahamaya had
Brahmin priests, while the others had either persons of low tribes, to whom the
heroes of old perhaps belonged ,or more usually altogether lacked a priest.
•
•
• Even today, whether there is a Pujari (priest) or not, any man may take with him
his own priest to perform the ceremony, but wherever there is a Pujari, he takes
the offering and returns to the votary a small portion called Prasad. Where the
priest of the village god is a Brahmin, and has an endowment , he daily performs
worship. Among the country priests are to be found men who often combine great
piety with learning, and who devote themselves to the improvement of the
 spiritual condition of the people, and to raising their moral standard. Very few of
them, however, are found doing useful work by organizing schools, co-operative
societies, village hospitals, etc., as, for instance, Christian clergy are found doing.
Their conduct forms a contrast indeed with that of the members of the Brahmo
Samaj too, who have devoted themselves to the education of orphans and children
whose parents are poor and of humble origin.
• Shaivism
•
• Shaivism enjoyed a considerable following during the reign of the Guptas as is
evident from several inscriptions of this period as well as from the image of
Chaumukhi (four-faced) Mahadev, discovered at Vaishali. The image, similar to
the famous Pashupatinath Mahadev in Nepal, is assigned to the Gupta period.
Judging by the number of ancient temples, one is inclined to infer that Bihar has
been more Shaivite than Vaishnavite. The old temple at Baikatpur in the Patna
district, the Muth at Gaya, the temple at Bazidpur in the Darbhanga district, the
Kusheshwar (Darbhanga) and Singheshwar (Madhepura) temples- all testify to
the popularity of Shaivism in Bihar. It would, however, be more correct to say
that the great mass of Hindus in medieval Bihar were not dogmatic about their
religion or denomination. Though there were distinct systems such as Shaivism,
Vaishnavism, and Shaktism, they were interchangeable and often
complementary.The very name Hari-Har Kshetra given to the great Sonepur
temple involves joint worship of Vishnu and Shiva.
•
•
• Although Shiva worship is still widely spread in Bihar, it does not suggest any
erotic or offensive ideas. People worship the symbol of reproduction, the lingam,
but their worship is unattended by any indecent or indelicate ceremonies. Certain
licentious customs generally attributed to the worshippers of Shakti are also
seldom practiced. In modern Hinduism, as the Biharis interpret and know it, the
symbol of Shiva is the lingam, or phallus, and he is a god of reproduction. In the
Vedas, he, as Pashupati, lord of beasts, a title of Rudra, is the agent promoting
fertility in cattle. As in other parts of India, the bull is here regarded as the
appropriate emblem of Shiva. The cult of Shiva has also involved a process of
syncretism, the adoption of various local deities as his manifestation. In Bihar, the
most important of these is probably the elephant-headed god, Ganesh (also known
as Ganapati), lord or the troop of demons attending the god. Though his symbols
of the elephant and the rat connect him with some local theriolatry , he is now
independent and non-sectarian, for all sects do him honour as the god of luck. The
popularization of the cult in India in general and in Bihar in particular was the
work of a series of missionary preachers, the most important of whom was
Kumarila Bhatta, a learned Brahmin of Bihar, who in the 8 th century A.D.
restored the ancient Vedic rites, and encouraged the persecution of Buddhists and
Jains- a tradition which has magnified into the extermination of Buddhism from
the Himalayas to Kanya Kumari. Kumarila Bhatta also laid the foundation of the
Smarta sect among the Brahmins, who derive their name from their allegiance to
authoritative tradition called Smriti, and not to the Vedic scriptures collectively
known as shruti. Many people in Bihar worship the Triad- Brahma, Vishnu, and
Mahesh (Shiva)- under the symbol of the mystic syllable 'OM'. Besides even
while admitting these deities of the Triad, they exalt Mahesh to the highest place
and hold the pantheistic Vedanta doctrine of non-dualism (advaita), considering
God and matter to be identical and everything only an infinitesimal atom of the
Divine or parts of the Supreme Being. In the early hours of Kartik Purnima (the
full moon day of Kartik month according to the Hindu calendar), millions of
people in north Bihar bathe at the confluence of the Ganga and the Gandak and
 offer the holy Ganga water to Mahadev or the Great God Shiva. It is then that the
famous Sonepur Fair is held. Shivaratri- the Falgun Chaturdashi (fourteenth lunar
night of the Falgun month according to Hindu calendar ) is also celebrated with
considerable pomp and show and prayers and Puja are offered in Shiva temples to
Mahadev and his goddess wife Parvati. The images of Shiva and Parvati in the
Sukhasana pose can be seen even today at Jaimangalgarh (Begusarai). In fact,
such images are found at many places in Bihar.
• Vaishnavism
•
• Vaishnavism has been one of the most important Brahmincal cults in Bihar where
even semi-literate and illiterate village folk are still heard reciting the Vaishnavite
creed formula, Om Namo Bhagwate Vasudevaya. Vaishnavism made great
headway during the Gupta period. The Gupta monarchs themselves were devotees
of Vasudev Vishnu, some of whom bore the title 'Parambhagavat'. It was during
their reign and due to their patronage that Bhagavatism, which is almost
synonymous now with Vaishnavism, came to the foreground and spread to the
remotest corners of Bihar. The growing prevalence of this cult here seems to be
due to the popularity of the Puranas also. To a considerable number of these
Puranas, Vishnu is the highest God.Quite a large number of the epigraphic records
of the Gupta period refer to the temples of Vishnu in his various forms or
incarnations, such as Varah, Vaman, Narasimh, Dasharthi Ram, Balram and
Krishna. Some medieval images of the Pala period have been discovered at
Eksara, near Ekma in Saran district.
•
•
• Two of these are Vishnu and another of Nritya Ganapati. In Magadh, the
Gaywalis, who were Shiva worshippers, were converted to Vaishnavism in the
fourteenth century A.D. Actually, Vishnu worship had established itself in Gaya
three centuries earlier, for the Gadadhar temple was built in the 15th year of
Nayapala's reign. There is an inscription inside the sanctum of the temple of
Surya at a short distance from the Vishnupad group of temples in Gaya. It was
built during the Tughluq period and is dated A.D.1372. Most of the Hindus in
Bihar today who care for their religion are familiar with the incarnatory names of
Vishnu. So are most of them, though perhaps only vaguely familiar with the cult
of Shri or Lakshmi. They know that one should do one's duty without expecting
any reward. This, by the way, is an important teaching of Vaishnavism. The
Bihari Vaishnavite, like other Vaishnavites elsewhere, knows that Vishnu had on
innumerable occasions incarnated himself in the world of men and animals. As
Ram he represents Indian manhood at its noblest, his exploits in the service of
justice embodied in epic form in the Ramayan, and this expression of Vishnu is
worshipped exclusively by a large number of Bihari Hindus. So devoted are most
of these Vaishnavites and their number in Bihar is legion that they worship Sita,
model of self-sacrificing womanhood, and even the monkey-devotee, Hanuman.
Krishna is another popular incarnation of Vishnu. Although an ordinary villager
in Bihar would largely lack any clear understanding of the formal aspects of
Vaishnavism, he is familiar with the cult of Krishna and his activities as described
in the Mahabharat and the Bhagavat Puran. His popular devotional songs
represent him as a sweet infant dancing in glee as the divine youth playing on a
flute, or as a charioteer in war. The worship of Vishnu is supported by several
festivals, such as Janmastami, Ramnavami, Vivahapanchami, etc., and thousands
of shrines are scattered throughout the state. For most orthodox Hindus, however,
divinity pervades all things. For Bihari Hindus, too, mountains , rivers, trees,
flowers, stones, plants, animals are worthy of veneration. At Mauni Amavasya
(the fifteenth Dark night), for instance, women sit under a Pippal tree, keeping
 silent ( mauna) on the day of a new moon provided it is a Monday. This is
supposed to cure those of their constitutional infirmities which prevent
conception. Little girls propitiate the serpent god on the Shukla Panchami of
Shravan (August) when milk and fried paddy are offered. To most devout Hindus,
again, Mandargiri, a hill in the Banka district is a sacred spot. It is regarded as the
mythological mountain Mandar, which was used in churning the ocean. At certain
religious centers in Bihar people still deem monkeys worthy of special veneration
and privilege, though less exalted than the cow in the hierarchy of worship, and a
fairly large number of them worship in their home shrines what they call
Shaligrams which are but stone idols lovingly gathered from certain streams to
serve as Vishnu's living presence in the household. While some of them honour
these idols sacred to Vishnu, others worship those of different shapes sacred to
Shiva, or circular ones representing Shakti, the Divine Mother of the Universe.
Ritualistic greeting of the rising sun and the ceremonial morning and evening
ablutions are widely observed by all devout Brahmins, who are generally strict
about personal cleanliness and begin their private devotions well before sun-rise,
repeat them at noon and again just before sunset. With the exception of a very few
religious enthusiasts, none objects to being on friendly terms with non-Hindus in
daily life. Hindu piety runs in the direction of rituals and ceremonies celebrating
festivals, making pilgrimages, building temples, reading the Ramayan and
chanting "Gayatri Mantra". The hermitages of ancient monastic orders cluster in
the plains and hillsides; immense temples raise their spires toads heaven; the
teaching of the Buddha and Mahavir, deeply graven in the enduring ruins and
relics, ring down the corridors of time, arresting the attention of the passerby
today.
•
• Hindus ( numbering in 7,11,93,417 i.e. about 82.42% of the total State population,
according to 1991 census ) are by far the largest religious community in Bihar.
•
• Islam Christianity Buddhism Jainism Sikkhism
• Website Designed and Developed By
• I.T Manager/Rajnish
• Department of Tourism
• Bihar , Patna.